retail industry

Amazon, once the robotics industry's biggest customer, is increasingly designing and manufacturing its own warehouse robots in-house rather than purchasing them from outside vendors. The shift, highlighted in industry commentary from the Association for Advancing Automation, marks a turning point for the robotics sector, which has long relied on the retailer's enormous purchasing power. Observers are weighing what the move means for traditional robot suppliers competing with their former top client.

US retail sales increased for another consecutive month in August, according to industry reporting. The continued rise points to steady consumer spending despite ongoing concerns about prices and interest rates. Dealers and retailers are watching whether demand can hold through the rest of the year.

Goldman Sachs plans to launch a programme allowing retail shareholders to vote their shares, extending the pass-through voting model typically offered to institutional investors. The move would give individual investors a direct say on matters such as board elections and shareholder resolutions at companies they hold. It follows a broader industry push to widen retail participation in corporate governance, with asset managers and banks building similar voting pass-through services.

A new commentary argues that while artificial intelligence is not a silver bullet for the retail industry, retailers who delay adoption face genuine competitive risk. The piece suggests the debate is not about whether AI helps retailers immediately, but whether standing still while rivals experiment leaves companies exposed to falling behind in customer experience and operations.

Bank of America has highlighted two top stock picks in the UK food retail sector, saying the outlook for the industry remains resilient despite cost pressures on shoppers and retailers. The bank's analysts see grocers as well positioned to keep performing, and investors are weighing which UK supermarket names offer the best value as the sector holds up better than expected.

Retail sales rose modestly in August, extending a continuing streak of monthly gains, according to industry reporting. The increase suggests consumer spending has remained steady despite economic uncertainty, with retail watchers noting consistency rather than strong growth. Analysts are likely to weigh the figures for signals on household demand heading into the autumn shopping season.

Watches of Switzerland Group has presented its first joint retail concept, a new collaborative store format for the luxury watch retailer. Details of the partner brands, locations and opening dates have not been widely reported yet, but the move signals the group's push into shared retail spaces as it seeks fresh ways to reach luxury watch customers.